YANG-CHAR - The Tibetan Astrology of Arising Vowels
Yang-char- The Tibetan Astrology of Arising Vowels
Yangchar [ddyang 'char] a subcategory of Kar Tsee is the Tibetan word for Svarodhaya [Skt.] meaning the arising vowels originating from the Sivasvarodhayatantra and the Kalacakra Tantra. Both present the cycles of the Universe in terms of the sequences of transforming sounds through the months and days of the year. Whilst the Kalacakra is the main source of astronomical calculations and is a Buddhist scripture the Sivasvarodhayatantra is actually a Hindu Sivaite astronomical tantra that was translated and taken to Tibet before becoming lost in India.
It is unusual since it is the only Sivaite text to be classified with the collection of Indian Buddhist Commentaries. Much more research needs to be done on this fascinating topic, but legend has it that it was brought to Tibet by Rinchen Sherap in the .... century. The original consisted of 10 root tantras each with its commentary, but only five of these reached Tibet as Rinchen Sherap saw that five of the Commentaries dealing with magical operations would become a black magic in Tibet and consequently destroyed them.
The other five root texts and Commentaries contained a variety of subjects dealing with astronomical calculations using the 28 Indian constellations. Nowadays Yangchar is used as a form of personal prognostication based upon the sounds in a persons name.
This relates them to particular constellations. It is also used in horary astrology for a large variety of questions including medical, weather, political and personal concerns. These are called the Yangchar Wheels, and there are hundreds of such wheels in the texts, the four commonly used being:
Four well known Yangchar wheels
is a way of determinging the yearly events of any Kingdom in terms of weather, agriculture, wars, the kings state, famines etc.
The Lion Mattress
is usually done for rulers but can be applied to the head of any household. It shows how things will fare with him and the general afairs of health, wealth and property.
The Wheel of Parasol
is a wheel which shows the realtionships between kingdoms in different directions.
The Wheel of 'hither and thither'.
is done for groups of people living in the same neighborhood or community and show how affairs will unfold for them.
Each wheel is an image that commonly has the constellations placed in various ways around it, the positions of the planets are then placed in the constellations at the prescribed time for the calculation and the delineations are based upon these.
A few examples of other Yangchar wheels and their uses:
The White Wheel
- how a man will relate with the women in his life
- determining the effects of medicines
- determining the course of illnesses
- prognostications on the outcomes of marriage
The Wheel of the Woman and the Wolf}}
- determining how things will go for ones husband.
- finding a clear direction for the movement of the dead
- covers agricultural concerns
The Wheel of Brahma
- for electional astrology
- children
The Red Wheel
- concerning animal husbandry
- work and employees
and others concerned with almost every facet of life.
